Turkey is deservedly famous for its delicious cuisine, diversity of delectable dishes and unique drinks. Turkish kitchen is popular all around the world but every region of the country has its own unique recipes and special meals. The rich Turkish cuisine offers something for every taste and here you can find ten of the most emblematic foods and drinks which you should try during your visit in Turkey.
The Turkish breakfast is usually very rich including different types of white and yellow cheeses, butter, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, eggs, jam, honey and many more. It is very common in Turkey soups to be eaten as a morning meal.
Simit
Simit is a type of bread in circular shape richly encrusted with sesame seeds. Turkish simit is made with molasses and has become one of the signature foods in the country.
Su Böreği
Su böreği is one variation of the popular for the region baked pastries, called “börek”. The su böreği differs from the rest because the layers of the special dough are briefly boiled in water before the mixture of feta cheese, oil and parsley is scattered between them.
Menemen
Menemen is traditional Turkish breakfast meal which includes eggs, tomatoes, peppers, onions and rich blend of spices like black pepper, oregano and red pepper. It is served hot and with delicious Turkish bread.
Lahmacun
Lahmacun is one of the famous foods which the visitors shouldn’t miss. Lahmacun is backed very thin piece of dough topped with minced meat and vegetables like onions, parsley and tomatoes. It is most commonly served with lemon juice and lettuce, tomatoes and onion.
Iskender
Iskender is one of the most famous Turkish meat meals. Grilled lamb meat basted with hot tomatoes souse over pita bread served with yoghurt, this is one of the must-try Turkish dishes.
Adana Kebab
Adana kebab is popular hand minced meat, mounted on an iron skewer and baked on barbecue fire from burning charcoals. It can be served accompanied with grilled vegetables or as a wrap, called ‘dürüm’. If you are not into spicy dishes, you can try the Urfa Kebab, which is non-spicy version of the Adana Kebab.
Baklava
Even though there are plenty of desert recipes, the tasty baklava is the most famous one. It is very rich and sweet pastry made by layers of filo filled with mix of chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey.
Turkish Delight
Turkey is very famous with its deserts and the Turkish delight lokum is one of the most popular gifts you can bring back home.
Ayran
Described as ‘one of the most refreshing drinks’, ayran is a cold beverage made by mixing yoghurt, water and salt. This beverage is a great addition to grilled meat, lahmacun and rice dishes like Iskender and Adana kebab.
Turkish Tea
The most common drink served in the country is Turkish tea. The Turkish tea is called ‘çay’ and it is type of black tea served without milk.
Turkish Coffee
The popular Turkish coffee is prepared in a unique way where the ground coffee beans are boiled in special pot called ‘cezve’.
Bonus: Nargile
Even though the Nargile is not a food or drink, it’s one of the most emblematic parts of the Turkish and Middle Eastern culture. Nargile is a single or multi-stemmed instrument for vaporizing and smoking huge variety of flavored tobaccos.
